Love Tokens From Around The World

By Carol (Harmes) Bastable April 2001 Love Letter, updated 2012

A surprising number of foreign love tokens can be found and collected. The impossible dream is to have one from every country. It is difficult to conduct a study to measure the rarity of foreign love tokens. Residing in the United States, one only sees what is brought back into the country. There are probably many more love tokens remaining in their country of origin.

Of the foreign countries that produced love tokens, Great Britain made the largest quantity. They are also credited with the early origins of the engraved coin, typically using large copper pennies from the 17th and 18th centuries. The tradition was revived in the late 19th century and lasted into the 20th century. At that time the most common host coins were the three and four pence followed by the six pence. Shilling, half crowns, and even gold sovereigns can be found. A few coins exist from India and South Africa, probably as a direct result of these countries being under British rule.

Canada was probably the second largest foreign producer of love tokens. This perception may also be tied to their proximity to the United States…more of them filtered down to the U.S. Many sizes of coins were used for Canadian love tokens. This makes for interesting type set collecting. Dimes and five cent silvers were used most often, but with perseverance larger sizes can be found including the five dollar gold. Love tokens from the territory of Newfoundland are available, while those from New Brunswick are extremely difficult to obtain.

Germany, France, and Mexico follow in a three way tie for third. Common love tokens with initials remain universal, but occasionally sayings and sentiments have to be translated. Love token name collectors will find some of the names characteristic of these countries (i.e. Gunther, Gustave, and Eduardo). Of these countries, Mexico is the only one that produces modern love tokens on a regular basis. Madonnas and Aztec calendar stones are popular themes on the modern love tokens.

Norway and Denmark place next, followed by Sweden, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. These love tokens can be found but less frequently. There are other counties to collect, but they do not turn up very frequently. The exception is Australia, as a number of coins were engraved during WW II and given to a soldier’s sweetheart back home. Below is a country list of love tokens that have been collected and reported. Bear in mind that some countries are rare enough that only one coin may have been reported. Some of these rarer countries may result from an un-engraved coin leaving the country as a souvenir and then being engraved outside of the country of origin.

This also supports the occasional English inscription on a foreign coin from a country of a different language.